The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-10-26
BANcoR's IRON STEAMER.
The First of the Kind Built In Amer
lea.

BANGOR, Oct 25.-It is worthy of note that
the first iron steamship ever built in America
was constructed expressly to run between
Bangor and Boston. This steamer was named
Bangor. and her history, first and last, is
rather remarkable. She was built in 1S45 by
Belts, Harlan & Hollingsworth at Whining
ton, Del, and was a twin screw boat of $50
tons, old measurement, rugged as three
masted schooner. On her way north from
Wilmington, the Bangor called at New York
to land passengers, and attracted a great
deal of attention there, as she also did in
Boston, the beauty of her hull being much
admired by nautical experts She had berths
for eighty passengers, and an under-deck
carrying capacity of 100 barrels. Unfortu-
nately, ON her second trip to this port the
Bangor took fire, and was run ashore on Long
Island, Penobscot Bay, where she was burn
ed, all except the iron shell of her hull The
passengers got ashore all right with Just
what they stood in, but cargo and everything
else went up in smoke. The steamer was af-
terward rebuilt at Bucksport, sold to the gov
ernment, and went out to Mexico during the
war between that country and the United
States, her name having been changed to
Scourge.
Cruz the celebrated expedition against Alva-
RADIO started from that port. Two previous
attempts had been made upon Alvardo by
the naval forces of the United States, but
without success, and this third advance was
made with great display of power. The
expedition left Vera Cruz on March 80 1847.
The army was represented by regiments of
volunteers from Georgia, South Carolina
and Alabama, a squadron of cavalry, and
section OF artillery the whole under the
nnr.a aNadT Tf
forces consisted of the following vessels:
Frigate Potomac, sloops-of-war St. Mary's
and Albany, steamers Mississippi, Vixen,
Water Witch, AMI Spit6re, brig Porpoise,
hve small-gun schooners, one bomb-ketch,
and the steamer Scourge (Bangor) which lat
ter was sent on some days in advance
When the expedition approached its
destination it was met by some mes
sengers, who brought the information
that the stronghold of iAlvarado, which
the fleet had surrendered to the daring of
Lieut. Hunter, of the Scourge, without loss
or damage to the latter. The brave lieuten-
ant thus won laurels which might otherwise
have gone to Commodore .Conley of the fleet
and other officers but his triumph was
short-liyed, for, having too plainly shown
the inefficiency of his commander, who had
twice failed, even with a large force, to ac-
complish what his junior had done so handi-
ly, he (the Lieutenant was court-martialed
and virtually dismissed from the service. All
this was remedied afterward, however, by
the President, prompted by public opinion
Thus was the old Bangor connected with
one of the most famous episodes of the Mex
ican coast campaigns.
just previous to building the Bangor,
Messrs. Belts, Harlan & Hollingsworth con-
structed two small iron steam canal boats for
New York parties, and soon afterward an
iron river side-wheeler, named w. w. We'll
den, to run on the Delaware, but the Bangor
was the first iron steamship ever launched
from Amorioan yard.